The SABC's Chief Operations Officer, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, on Monday afternoon came out guns blazing in defence of the public broadcaster's decision not to air footage of destruction during violent protests, reiterating that nobody, including the Independent Communications Authority of SA (ICASA), would change the SABC's position on the matter and that the 'censorship' at the company was just 'hullabaloo'.

In his response, Motsoeneng also claimed that there was a third force involved in a campaign against the SABC. He said the broadcaster, would especially deal with its dissident employees on the matter.

The SABC plans to take the decision on review and said it will approach the High Court or Constitutional Court if necessary.

“We, as SABC, we’re not apologetic on the issues that we believe on and I want to deal with the issue of this hullabaloo because it is still hullabaloo,” Motsoeneng said.

“When people talk about censorship, I don’t know what SABC is censoring. Myself and [SABC spokesman Kaizer Kganyago] we explained certain times to say certain individuals we are not going to show them and actually if you talk about censorship, because you know English better, I think, because you are clever people, if you talk about censorship I think all newsrooms they censor stories every day in a newsroom."

He added; “I don’t know why people want to dictate for the SABC but we as SABC we are clear on what we are doing and we still believe that we are within the Broadcasting Act. We are within the regulations. I mean it’s how people translate and interpret English.

“We are not going to change anything.”

The ANC is understood to be trying to intervene, but will only announce its latest position in a media briefing on Tuesday.

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